Leer-oven arrangement



1930. D. H. GOODWlLL l'E 1,742,652

LEER OVEN ARRANGEMENT Filed Sept. 12. 1927 gwmnlioo W )V 21 FM GU 0: nu S Patented Jan. 7, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFrcl:

DAVID .H. GOODWILLIE, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE EDWARD FORD PLATE GLASS COMPANY, OF ROSSFOBD, OHIO, ACORPORATION OF OHIO LEER-OVEN ARRANGEMENT This invention relates to a leer oven arrangement adapted to be located at the hot or charging end of a leer used in the annealing of sheet or plate glass,

In the manufacture of sheet or plate glass, whether by the continuous process in which the sheet is'produced in a continuous ribbon, or by the intermittent process in which a series of individual plates or sheets are produced, it is necessary to anneal'the sheets or plates after they are formed, in order to remove or equalize the internal strains which always exist. This is done by passing the sheets or plates through a serie of ovens, the first of which is'maintained at a temperature at or above the critical or annealing temperature of the glass being operated upon, each succeeding oven'being slightly lower in temperature thanthe preceding one. From the last of these ovens the glass is passed into a.

cooling chamber or runway, the entering end being slightly cooler than the last oven and the temperature at the discharge or pull-out end being approximately that of the surrounding atmosphere. This combination of ovens and cooling chamber is known to the trade as a leer.

In the process of forming individual sheets or plates, it has been the practice to push them so from the casting table on which they have been formed or deposited into the first or hottest of the annealing ovens by means of a stowing tool. Owing to the high tempera- .ture of the ovens, which ranges from about 1300 F. in the first oven down-to about 900 F. in the last oven, from which the glass is discharged into the runway, it.is .quite important that the stowing tool be withdrawn from the oven after-each operation, in order to prevent it from becoming warped by. the heat. Heretofore, it has been the general custom, in order that the stowing tools could be conveniently manipulated, to arrange the ovens in zigzag fashion so that as each plate is shoved from one oven to the next it moves in a path at right angles to its movement during the preceding step. This necessitates the provision of a separate stowing tool for each 50 oven, in addition to the stowing tool eWhlCh shoves the plate from the casting table into the first oven.

With the above facts in mind the object of the present invention is to provide a simplified arrangement of ovens, which requires a smaller number of stowing tools for carrying out the process, and in addition thereto makes it feasible to cast two plates at a time, providin duplicate series of ovens from which the p ates "are discharged alternately into the entrance to the runway. The specific construction and arrangement of ovens embodied in the present invention, together with the arrangement of the stowing tools used in conn'ection therewith will be more particular explained in connection with the accompanying drawing, whichillustrates the invention in its preferred form and which comprises a horizontal section throughthe front portion of the leer runway and the series of ovens leading thereto.

The front end of the leer runway is indicated at 1 and directly in front of this runway is an oven 2. Connected to opposite sides of the oven 2 are series of ovens 3 and 4 respectively extending in straight lines paraltion, two casting tables 8 and 9 are provided,

upon which the glass is cast as it passes from the rolls 10. With the tables arran ed in front of the rolls 10, two plates may e cast and then cut apart and the tables brought into position in front of the entrances 5and 6 respectively,

For each table there is provided a stowing tool 11 having two pushers 12 and 13 arranged withthe distance between them somewhat greater than the width of the glass. At the rear end of each series of ovens is a stowing tool 14 having a glass engaging member 15 adapted to be inserted through the door 16 and to engage behind the glass and to draw it into the last ovenof the At the outer side of this last oven is a stowing tool 17 provided with a pusher 18 adapted to be .an opening 19 to shovethe inserted through ast oven 2 at the entrance to glass into the the runway 1. In front. of the oven 2 there is a stowing tool 20 similar to the stowing tools 11, havingpushers 21 and 22 respectively and adapted to be inserted through a door23 to stow the glass into the runway.

In the operation as carriedoutin accord,- ance with the present invention, two plates are formed and delivered on the casting tables to positions indicated at a and a. re-

spectively. The cycle of operation will be the same fonboth'seri'esof ovens. The moves must be so timed that a plate is delivered to the oven. 2 at the entrance to the runway alternate'ly from each series of ovens 3 and 4.

The two plates are delivere'dby'the tables at intervals of seven to eight minutes and to both series of ovens at about the same time.

The plates are stowed into the oven 2 at intervals of three and one-half to four minutes,

/ and the moves must be so timed as to produce this result.

- After the glass sheet or plate is in the position indicated at a, the, toel 11 is advanced until the pusher 12 engages the glass and pushes it'into the first osition b in the series of ovens. At the expiration of the proper time, in this case three and one-half tofour minutes, the tool 11 is a ain started and pushes the plate from position b to position 0..

Upon the arrival of the next plate in front of the entrance .6 it is pushed into the vacant space previously occupied by the first plate b means of-the pusher 12, and at the same time the pusher 13 engages the first plate and pushes it into 'position, d. The tool then rein thereon. I

' vacant for receiving'the thir plate which is say two minutes, the

now stowed therein by the. rearpusher 12, the, forward pusher 13 maki-ng an idle stroke during thisoperation.

' {Shortly after this oiplerationis completed,

uring the entering stroke of thistool it is held out of contact with the oven bottom and at the completion ofthe stroke is dropped intocontact with the oven bottom behind the edge, of the first plate. Upon the return or outward stroke ofthis tool, the first plate is'advanced to the position e.

. At the same time orini liiediately after the last described move, the. tool 11 is moved through thedoor 6 and the pushers 13 and 12 are dropped into contact with the rear "edges of the second and third plates. By

continuing the motion these plates are moved I st plate is moved to o ltlon e'by means of the stowing tool 14;

one position forward, leaving the first place vacant for the reception of the next plate.

The next move is to stow the fourth plate into the first oven so that the series of straight line ovens4 is now full of plates.

The first plate is then advanced from position q to position 7 by means of the tool 17 which may be of the most ordinary type,

working from the side of the oven and traveling back and forth with the pusher 18 always in contact with the bottom.

While the plates are being intermittently advanced through the set of ovens 4, plates will also be advanced through the set of ovens 3 and will successively occupy positions '6,

c, d and e. The movements in one set of.

chambers alternate with the movements in the other set.

Plates will be moved into the oven 2 alternately from the positions 6 audio and are then advanced successively to the positions 9 and h, at proper intervals, say three and one-half to four minutes, by meansof the pushers 21 arid 22 on the stowing tool 20. From the position h the-plates are advanced step by step to positions 2', 7,70, etc., in the runway, by means of the usual mechanism, which is entirely independent of the stowing mechanism. I

This invention is of particular merit in the manufacture of two plates of glassi'rom one casting of .the contents of a glass pot. It

enables two plates of glass to be pushed into parallel ovens and then brought together in a runway common to both plates, making 1t possible to construct and use one runway for 0th plates instead of separate runways for each sheet, thus avoiding the greater expense of building two runways and avoiding the complication of pushing plates through the length'of a straight-line oven on to the runway rods. In order to avoid the additional expense of constructing two runways and the mechanical .difiiculties of straight-line the rst' ovens to entrance position in the second set of ovens will be so-great as to allow the plate onits casting table to warp and chill. With my system of parallel ovens the distance of travel which the first plateis required to make willbeless by the width of two ovens.

From the foregoing description, it will be the crude zigzag arrangement used for many years, and which also makes it possible to :seen that I have devised a simplified arrangement of ovens which may besubstrtuted for The operation is also ovens, from which the plates are alternately/ delivered to a position in front of the runway or cooling chamber. lVhile the plates may be advanced step by' step from the casting table to the runway by any stowing tools suitable for the purpose, it is preferred to use tools of improved construction, which have been devised especially for that purpose, and which are described and claimed inseparate applications. 5

What I claim is:

1. The combination with a leer runway, of a series of ovens arranged in a straight line in front of and parallel to the runway,

an intermediate oven directly in front of the runway and adjacent the last oven of said series, a stowing tool in front of said series to move the plates rearwardly in the front portion of said series, a stowing tool in rear of the series for pulling the plates to complete their movement into the rearmost oven of said series, a stowing tool at one side of said rearmost oven for moving the plates into said intermediate oven, and a stowing tool in front of said intermediate oven to move the plates into the runway.

2. The combination with a leer runway, of a series of ovens arranged in a straight line in front ofand parallel to the runway, an

oven directly infront of the runway, a stowing tool infront of said series and provided with a plurality of pushers spaced apart sufiiciently to engage and push a corresponding number of separate plates rearwardly in the front portion of said series, a stowing tool in rear of the series for pulling the plates separately into the rearmost oven of said series, a'

stowing tool at one side of said rearmostoven for moving the plates into the oven directly in front of the runway, and a stowing tool in front of said last mentioned oven to move the plates into the runway.

3. In a leer, the combination of two parallelseries of ovens arranged in a straight line, an intermediate oven between the rearmost said intermediate oven, means operable from the front of each series to move separatev plates rearwardly through a part of the series, means operable from the rear of each series to complete the rearward movement of the plates, laterally disposed means for moving the plates thence into the intermediate oven, and means. in front of the intermediate oven to move the plates into the runway.

4. In a leer, the combination of two series of ovens spaced apart and each arranged in a straight line, an intermediate 'oven between the rearmost ovens of the two series, a runway in rear of said intermediate oven, a stowing tool in front of each of said series and provided with a plurality of pushers to engage and push a number of separate plates rearwardly in the series of ovens, a stowing tool in rear of each series for pulling the plates to complete their movement into the rearmost oven of the series, opposite laterally disposed stowing tools for moving the plates alternately from the rearmost ovens of the series into said intermediate oven, and a stowing tool in front of'said intermediate oven to move the plates therefrom into the runway.

5. In aleer, the combination of a series of ovens arranged in a straight line, an intervmediate oven adjacent the side of the rearmost oven of said series, an oven in rear'of said intermediate oven, a runway in rear of and in alinement with the two last mentioned ovens, a stowing tool in'front of said series of ovens and provided with a plurality of pushers for engaging and pushing a number of separate plates .rearwardly within the series of ovens, a stowing tool in rear of said series to complete'the movement of the plates into the last-oven of said series, a laterally disposed stowing tool for moving the plates into the intermediate oven and a stowing tool in front of'said intermediate oven and having two pushers for moving the separate plates onto the runway.

6. In a leer, the combination of two spaced series of ovens, each arranged in a straight line, an intermediate oven between the rearmost ovens of the two series, an oven in rear of said intermediate oven, a runway in rear of said last mentioned oven, a stowing tool Min-front of each of said series and provided a .with a plurality of pushers spaced apart for engaging and pushing a corresponding number of separate plates rearwardly within the series of ovens, a stowing tool in rear of each series for pulling the plates to complete their movement into the rearmost oven of the series, stowing tools at the outer sides of the movable to a position'in front of the first oven ofthe series, means operable from the front of the first oven of the series to move separate plates from the casting table rearwardly through a part of said'series, means operable from the rear'of said series to move the plates successively intovthe last oven of the series, and means operable from the side of said last .oven to discharge the plates-laterally therefrom.

8. In a leer, the combination of two parallel series of ovens, each arranged in a straight line, an intermediate oven between the rearmost ovens of the two series, casting tables movable into positions in front of the respective series of ovens, means operable from the front of each series for moving plates successively from the castirig table through arranged in a straight line, a casting table a portion of the seiies, means operable from the rear of each series for completing the movement of the plates into the rearmost oven thereof, and means operable from the outer sides of the rearmost ovens to move plates alternately therefrom into said intermediate ovens. i

9. In an annealing apparatus, a glass run Way, a pair of ovens cooperating therewith and located'on opposite sides'thereof, and

' each containing a plurality of glass sheets,

substantially symmetrically disposed stowing mechanisms cooperating with said ovens,

and stowing heads cooperating with said stowing mechanisms, certain of saidheads being operative for pushing individual glass sheets while other of said heads areoperative for pulling the same individually.

10. In a glass annealing apparatus, the combination with a plurality of straight line ovens having a common runway, of opposed stowing mechanisms for moving the glass through said ovens.

In testimony whereof I have hereuntosigned my name to this s ecification. DAVID E. QODWILLIE. 

